National Library of Australia Conservation Management Plan

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA
CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN

A management plan complying with s.341S(1) of the EPBC Act 1999
Prepared for the
National Library of Australia

by
Dr Michael Pearson Duncan Marshall

2012

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This Conservation Management Plan (CMP), which satisfies section 341S and 341V of the

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), provides the

framework and basis for the conservation and good management of the National Library of Australia building, in recognition of its heritage values.

The National Library of Australia’s Heritage Strategy, which details the Library’s objectives and strategic approach for the conservation of heritage values, has been prepared and accepted by the then Minister on 24 August 2006. The Heritage Strategy will be reviewed during 2012 in parallel with the endorsement of this plan. The Policies in this plan support the directions of the Heritage Strategy, and indicate the objectives for identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to all generations of the Commonwealth Heritage values of the place.

The CMP presents the history of the creation of the National Library of Australia and the construction of its building, describes the elements that have heritage significance, and assesses that significance using the Commonwealth Heritage List criteria. The plan outlines the obligations, opportunities and constraints affecting the management and conservation of the Library. A set of conservation policies are presented, with implementation strategies.

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CONTENTS

1. 2.

Introduction............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 1.2 1.3
Background and Purpose Authorship Acknowledgements

Description, History and Other Evidence ................................................................. 3 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6
Location and Boundaries Brief Description and Condition of the Place History of the Origins and Development of the National Library of Australia Design and Aesthetic Context and Character Evidence of Scientific Value Evidence of Social Value

3.

Analysis of Evidence................................................................................................ 33 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4
Analysis of Historic Value Analysis of Design and Aesthetic Value Analysis of Scientific Value Analysis of Social Value

4. 5.

Statement of Significance ....................................................................................... 38 4.1 4.2
Statement of Significance Commonwealth Heritage Values and Attributes

Development of Policy—Opportunities and Constraints...................................... 42

5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7
Implications Arising from Significance Levels of Sensitivity to Change Legislative Requirements Stakeholders Management Context, Requirements and Aspirations Analysis of Condition and Integrity Issues relating to the Broader Setting

6. 7.
Conservation Policy and Implementation Strategies ............................................ 62

6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4
Objective Definitions Conservation Management Policy and Implementation Strategies Implementation Plan

Bibliography ............................................................................................................ 91

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Appendix A: Plans Appendix B: Detailed Description of the Place Appendix C: Priority Works Appendix D: Commonwealth Heritage List Citation Appendix E: NLA Heritage Register Appendix F: Framework for Assessing Significance Appendix G: Burra Charter

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National Library of Australia Conservation Management Plan

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The National Library of Australia is committed to the conservation of the Commonwealth Heritage values of its building, and this commitment is reflected in its corporate planning documents and processes. This Conservation Management Plan, which satisfies section

341S and 341V of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

(EPBC Act), provides the framework and basis for the conservation and good management of the National Library of Australia building in recognition of its heritage values.

The National Library of Australia’s Heritage Strategy, which details the Library’s objectives and strategic approach for the conservation of heritage values, has been prepared and accepted by the then Minister. The Policies in this plan support the directions of the Heritage Strategy, and indicate the objectives for identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to all generations of the Commonwealth Heritage values of the place.

Figure 1 shows the basic planning process applied.

Figure 1 Basic Steps of Conservation Management Planning

Source: Australia ICOMOS 1999

Understand Significance

Understand management

obligations and constraints

Develop Policy

Manage in accordance with Policy

Organisation of the Conservation Management Plan

The Conservation Management Plan outlines the history of the development of the place and describes the key features (section 2), then assesses the heritage significance based on that information (sections 3 and 4). Section 5 then details the management situation

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in which the Library operates, including the legislative requirements, stakeholders, and the requirements imposed on the manager and the Library’s aspirations for future change.

The conservation policies which take into consideration both the heritage significance of the place and the management and operational situation are presented at section 6.

1.2

AUTHORSHIP

This Conservation Management Plan was researched and written by Dr Michael Pearson (Heritage Management Consultants Pty Ltd), and Duncan Marshall, Heritage Architect. The heritage assessment is those of the authors.

1.3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Generous input was provided by a number of people, and our particular thanks go to staff of the National Library of Australia, the National Capital Authority and the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water Population and Communities who helped with the process.

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2. DESCRIPTION, HISTORY AND OTHER EVIDENCE

2.1

LOCATION AND BOUNDARIES

The National Library of Australia, the place to which this Conservation Management Plan applies, is defined as Block 4 of Section 27, Parkes, and the buildings upon it. The Block incorporates the podium of the National Library Building, a small extensions to the northeast and north-west occupied by services, the entry stairway to the east, an access ramp and steps to the south, the service courtyard to the south-west, and entry road off King Edward Terrace.

Figure 2 Location of National Library of Australia in the Parliamentary Zone

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Figure 3

Lease area comprising the place

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2.2

BRIEF DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION OF THE PLACE

National Library of Australia Building

Overview

The National Library of Australia building is a prominent feature of the Parliamentary Triangle. This large rectangular building sits on a podium on the western side of the Triangle near the southern shore of Lake Burley Griffin.¹

Figure 4 National Library from the north, across Lake Burley Griffin (Source: D. Marshall)

The building is generally Italian travertine marble clad with an encircling colonnade; it is rectangular in plan and was inspired by the style and proportions of the design of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. The podium is clad in rock faced grey trachyte in contrast to the light marbles of the building above. The podium contains two basements and the building above has five storeys. The building has a low pitched copper roof. The building’s exterior is clad with marble, granite, bronze, slate and copper, while its interior has fine Australian timber finishes.

Further information is provided in Appendix B.

Structure and construction

The building has a reinforced concrete structure of columns and slabs. The two service cores are reinforced concrete and these are rendered. Exterior walls are masonry clad with marble on the outside and rendered internally. Internal walls are a variety of construction including blockwork, brickwork, and lightweight framed construction. The roof has steel trusses. (see plans at Appendix A)

High quality materials were used in many of the key spaces and building detailing. This included:



paving of the foyer with Australian Wombeyan marble; handrails of Imperial black granite from South Australia; cruciform columns are clad in white Carrara marble, the walls clad in Roman

¹This section draws on Department of the Environment & Heritage 2005.
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travertine, and the windows are bronze-framed;



the foyer staircases are of pentelic marble specially selected from a quarry outside Athens; the wall behind the foyer is clad in split grey-green Serpentino marble tiles from North Italy; feature walls are clad in a variety of Australian timbers including Tasmanian oak, jarrah, red cedar, coachwood.

Furniture throughout the building was designed by Frederick Ward and Arthur Robinson in collaboration with the architects, and many pieces remain in use or storage.

Figure 5 Foyer stairs and Serpentino tiled wall from Mezzanine floor. (Source: M. Pearson)

Figure 6 Furniture in Former Director General’ s Office (Source: M. Pearson)

Fig 7 Patterned paving on Podium (Source D. Marshall)

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Planning layout

The planning layout of the building as it exists in 2012 includes:



the restaurant, shop, Treasures and Exhibition Galleries, Main Reading Room and Petherick Reading Room are all located on the ground floor;



major public or prestige spaces tend to be located at the east end of the building, often centrally placed. This includes the theatre, foyer, restaurant, executive offices, Ferguson Room, Manuscripts Reading Room, Asian Reading Room, Conference Room and Brindabella Room;



services cores located towards the east and west ends of the building. The cores include foyers, lifts, stairs, toilets and service risers; and offices tend to be located around the perimeter of the floors above the ground floor, with book stack areas or other facilities centrally located, and corridors encircling either or both the service cores or central store areas.

Architectural style

The building is in the Late Twentieth Century Stripped Classical style. Features of this style displayed by the building include the:



symmetrical facade; horizontal skyline; regular bays of vertical proportion; colonnade surrounding the building; use of columns without bases or capitals; and a broad horizontal member at the roofline echoing classical entablature (the decorative treatment at the top of a wall above the columns).

Figure 8 Building from north-west. (Source: D. Marshall)

Notable Interiors

The building contains a number of largely original spaces which are notable because of their design, details, their use of high quality materials, and/or their distinctive original library function. These include:



entry foyer, twin stair cases and mezzanine (GR:55, L1:78); café and bookshop (enclosing parts of the original foyer space); Main Reading Room (GR:31); Council Room (L1:11); former Director-General’s office (L1:01);

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

Chairman’s Room (L1:05); Manuscripts Reading Room (L2:24); Manuscripts Librarian’s office (L2:38); former Keeper of Rare Books office (L2:11); Manuscripts Room Foyer (L2: 25); Asian Collections Reading Room (L3:58); former viewing rooms and projection room (L3:30, L3:31, L3:34); Lamson tube room (LG1:34); Conference Room (L4:92); Brindabella Room (L4:91); Theatre (LG1;77); and parts of Lower Ground 1 Foyer (LG1:48).

Figure 9 Main Reading Room (Source: E. Stephens)

Figure 10 Entry Foyer (Source: E. Stephens)

Figure 11 Café with Leonard French windows. (Source: D. Marshall)

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Figure 12 Manuscript Reading Room (Source E. Stephens)

Figure 13 Manuscripts Reading Room foyer (Source: M. Pearson)

Figure 15 Lamson Tube Room (Source: M. Pearson)

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Figure 16 Theatre (Source: M. Pearson)

Figure 17 Former Keeper of Rare Books office, Manuscripts Reading Room (source: M. Pearson)

Figure 18 Asian Reading Room (source: M. Pearson)

Figure 14 Former Viewing Room (IT Heritage Cinema) (one of two) (Source: E. Stephens)

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Facilities

The National Library building provides a range of facilities including storage areas and reading rooms for a wide range of materials which comprise the Library’s collection, a visitor centre, catalogue areas, exhibition spaces, a theatrette, offices, a shop and eating facilities. A floor by floor description of uses is provided below.

Lower Ground Floor 2

Lower Ground Floor 1 Ground Floor
Book stack areas, mailroom, sales and distribution, digitisation, photography, document supply

Book stack areas, theatre, Newspapers and Maps reading rooms, café, Oral History

Foyer, shop, restaurant, exhibition galleries, reading rooms, offices

First Floor

Executive offices, meetings rooms, offices

Second Floor Third Floor Fourth Floor
Book stack areas, reading rooms, computer room, offices Offices, reading room, book stack areas, meeting room Brindabella Room, conference room, training rooms, offices, preservation services lab, book stack areas, Friends lounge

Artworks

The building features a number of notable art works, both commissioned for the building when first opened, or subsequently acquired. A large horizontal sculpture by Tom Bass over the public entrance, referred to both as the Lintel Sculpture and as Knowledge, was commissioned as part of the design and is a beaten copper bas-relief sculpture depicting themes derived from Sumerian seals, representing the sun (enlightenment), the tree of life, and the ark of knowledge.

Large stained glass windows by Leonard French are in-built decorative features within the entry café and bookshop (originally the lobby exhibition areas). There are sixteen windows in total, six pairs of windows and four single windows made from Saint Gobain dalle de verre glass. These 50 mm thick glass pieces are each cut and chipped to maximise light refraction. Every panel comprises four sections with the dominant images of crosses, stars and mandalas, and the general theme is the planets. The panels range through the colours of the spectrum, with blue representing the plant Venus and red the planet Mars. Each window has four sections and each overall window is 3.3 metres high and 1.25 metres wide.

The lobby also features three Aubusson tapestries designed by the French artist, Mathieu Matégot, with woven images of Australia. Matégot visited Australia, and his three tapestries hung in the foyer depict a radio telescope at Woomera (not Parkes, as commonly believed), Australian flora, the Great Barrier Reef, a pineapple, a riverboat, the Sydney Opera House and a ram’s head. The tapestries are made of Australian wool.

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A series of seven copper panels is located above the General Reading Room bay windows on the exterior lake side of the building. The panels were designed within Bunning and Madden’s office by Arthur Robb. The panels have striking patterns of circles, diamonds, crosses and other shapes, based on gladiator’s shields, and echoing the geometric patterns in Leonard French’s windows.²The fountain opposite the entry steps (and not owned or managed by the National Library) was designed by the Bunning and Madden office.

Figure 19 Robb panel above Reading Room window.

In the grounds surrounding the Library (but not owned or managed by the National

Library) is the Henry Moore sculpture Two Piece Reclining Figure Number 9.

The Moore sculpture is located on land managed by the National Capital Authority, and is a Commonwealth asset administered by them. They are therefore not items whose conservation is directly covered by this Conservation Management Plan (though their contribution to the significance of the place is highlighted later in the report).

Other newer art works include the Alice Kettle embroideries in the Main Reading Room and the Myer tapestry, installed on LG1 in December 2011.

Condition

This section provides information about the condition of the place, prior to consideration of its heritage significance in the following chapters. It provides a general impression about condition. Section 5.6 provides an analysis of condition and integrity related to the actual significance of the place.

The Library is in generally fair to good condition and the exterior is largely intact. However, there are a number of maintenance issues as noted elsewhere in this report. The podium has been extended and modified although these changes are sympathetic and were envisaged in the original design, and was re-paved and handrails modified to meet the Building Code in 2007-09. There have been substantial internal alterations to the building. The changes include construction of a restaurant and bookshop in the entry foyer (the latter redesigned in 2011), the Treasures and Exhibition galleries (2011), the executive suite, refurbishment and relocation of reading rooms, and redistribution of stack and office accommodation.

²Fernon 2004: 69-79.
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2.3

HISTORY OF THE ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF

AUSTRALIA

This history provides an overview of the origins and development of the National Library of Australia, concentrating on the establishment and construction of the National Library building in Canberra.

The history text is structured as follows:



an outline of the origins and early history of the National Library; deciding its location in Canberra; the design and construction of the Library building; changes to the Library building and land over time.

Table 2.1 provides a timeline for key events in the history of the National Library of Australia. Particularly notable events are shown in bold.

Table 2.1 Timeline of events related to the National Library of Australia

1901

Parliamentary Library established and the Joint Libraries Committee appointed.

Arthur Wadsworth ‘borrowed’ from Victorian Parliamentary Library to run the Commonwealth’s library.

1909

Petherick collection acquired, as cornerstone of the Australian collection

(formalised in the Petherick Bill in 1911)

1911

Griffin plan for Canberra located art galleries on the northern shore of the lake.

‘Courts of Justice’ were included in planning diagrams, but not on the competition final plan.

1912 1919
Passing of the Copyright Act 1912 required the depositing of one copy of every book published in Australia in the National Library. A separate Australian or ‘national’ section was established in the Parliamentary Library